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XXIX Club Long Room LuncheonsFriday July 4, 2014

In a new initiative, your committee will be planning a number of luncheons in the famous Long Room so XXIX Club members and their guests can get together on a more regular basis. It will be a great chance to converse before one of the biggest summers in Australian cricket is upon us.

As such, a XXIX Club Long Room Luncheon with pre-lunch drinks will be held on Friday August 1 at 12.00pm for 12.30pm.

To make this event attractive to you, our member, the member’s fee will be $50.00 and guests $100.00.

Members may bring up to four guests. The luncheon includes a sumptuous two course meal plus drinks until 3.00 pm. Following this, a cash bar will be open in the wonderful surrounds of the Long Room until “stumps”.

Melbourne Stars CEO Clint Cooper will be the function's guest speaker who will discuss the Twenty20 landscape from an administrators point of view. Resident XXIX Club ‘MC’, John Anderson, will be in charge of proceedings.

Bookings must be completed by Wednesday July 23 and will be processed on a first in basis, so you will need to get your booking in early to avoid disappointment. If you have any seating preferences, please indicate this in the seating request field and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Car parking will be available via Entrance A off Brunton Avenue, with access to the Long Room via Lifts 5, 6 and 7 to level 2. Dress code is Long Room standard i.e. lounge suit/jacket and tie (or XXIX Club blazer!)

Following the successful implementation of online bookings for other member special interest groups and what is the usual practice for MCC member functions, the XXIX Club will adopt a similar process.

Jack Jones won the toss for CCNSW and elected to bat (yes Rats I lost the toss again!). Rats and Rod opened the bowling and thanks to a good catch at mid-on by Ron Shugg off Rod Rae we claimed our first wicket at 14.

This brought danger batsman Peter (Buckets) Sherman to the wicket and a run out let off when he was on 0 did not bode well. Tight bowling from Rats, with Rod and Matthew Bennet supporting well, was keeping the run rate under control but wickets were hard to find.

The change in the game came when Paul Kennedy made it very hard to score and took 3 for 24 off his 8 overs, once again being on a hat-trick, as he had been on the previous day. The key wicket of Buckets Sherman was claimed by Nev Conway caught brilliantly by Bruce Anderson running around the deep square boundary.

With the score now at 6 for 95 it was time to bowl our secret weapon, Colin Walker. The CCNSW batsman did not know what had hit them, with Col producing more flight than the Wright Brothers in 1903. The CCNSW batsmen were bamboozled and before we knew it Col was on a hat-trick, unable to complete the feat he was relieved from the bowling crease with the fine figures of 2 for 18 (off 3 overs).

Some tired fielding and missed catches in the final overs allowed CCNSW to progress to 9 for 152 before the “last wicket in” Michael (Rats) Rattenbury came to the crease, yes the same Rats who had opened the bowling for the XXIXers and was now filling in for CCNSW who were playing one short. Rats needed to play out the remaining ball of the innings, but with three slips, a gully, short mid-on and short mid-off in place we were confident of the final wicket. Well Rats was having none of that as he spanked Rod Rae through mid-on for a boundary and the completion of the CCNSW innings on 156 off 40 overs. How significant would that final four be? A great bowling display, with once again Paul Kennedy leading a very handy attack.

Paul Kennedy and Nev Conway opened the batting but it was not long before Nev played over one and Tim Jones joined Paul. From this point on we were in control of the innings, Paul was dismissed for 24 and then followed an 88 run partnership between Tim Jones (43 retired) and Peter Crock (32) which took the game away from CCNSW.

Tim and Peter both batted very sensibly and very well and at all times had the run rate in hand, upon Tim’s retirement Ron Shugg made a quick 27 to ensure victory was in sight. When Rod Rae (8no) hit the winning run (with Rats 0no at the other end yet again!) we had 4 wickets in hand and plenty of balls to spare. A very well constructed run chase with Tim, Peter and Ron showing their thirst for runs after not having any real time at the wicket the previous day. Tim Jones was awarded the Man of the Match by CCNSW and Dave Stewart received the Man of the Match from the XXIXers. And yes, that final ball 4 from Rats in the CCNSW innings was not to be the decider!

Congratulations to everyone who made the trip on your contributions both on and off the field. It was great to claim the honours over the weekend and to enjoy the cricket and the XXIXer camaraderie. Special thanks go to the umpires (from the Gold Coast Umpires Association) over the 2 matches, Les Garroway, Steve Fildes and Paul Baker and also our hosts at the Caloundra Cricket Club for whom nothing was a problem. I would also like to thank the wives and partners who made the trip for supporting us during the day and doing their best to have us “pull stumps” at a respectable hour each evening.

Queensland Cricket Club (QCC) captain Nev Taylor won the toss and asked us to bowl on what was a great batting track. XXIXer stalwart Michael (Rats) Rattenbury opened the bowling with the wind and newcomer Rod Rae pushed up into it. Rats argued it was his right to bowl with it as he had earnt the senior ranking! After a tight opening over from Rats we claimed our first QCC wicket with Rod Rae breaking through in his first over for the XXIXers. Rod followed up shortly afterwards and with QCC at 2 for 7 the toss looked insignificant, that’s what I was arguing anyway! QCC consolidated to be 3 for 95 before Matthew Bennett (also on debut) claimed 2 wickets in successive balls and swung the game back in our favour. Wayne Sander for QCC came to the wicket and quickly steadied the ship with QCC moving onto 5 for 128 before Paul Kennedy found himself on a hat-trick as his very tight off-break bowling claimed the next 2 wickets. Alas no hat-trick for Paul, but his steady bowling ably supported by Bruce Anderson and Brisbane based Nev Conway (also on debut) allowed us to keep QCC to 9 for 175 after their 45 allotted overs. As we headed to lunch we were confident we could chase that tally down. Bowling honours went to Rod Rae 2 for 18 (off 8), Paul Kennedy 3 for 19 (off 8) and Matthew Bennett 3 for 32 (off 7), these 3 were very well supported by Rats, Nev and Bruce in what was a good overall bowling and fielding performance by the XXIXers.

Lunch was provided by Caloundra Cricket Club and then David Peever and Paul Kennedy commenced our chase for 176. With Paul out for 14 at 30 (off 9 overs) and David dismissed for 39 we were 2 for 62 (after 19 overs) and in a solid position. Rod Rae and Stuart Stockdale kept the score ticking over before Stuart was dismissed for 21 as he pushed the run rate along. When Bruce Anderson strode to the wicket the run rate required was a little over 5, this was quickly reduced when Bruce took control of the bowling for a very fine (and quick) 41 retired. With Rod dismissed for 35 it was left to Nev Conway (9no) and Peter Crock (9) to complete the good work of our top order. Nev hit the winning run in the 44th over with 4 wickets to spare. It was now time to celebrate a great first up victory for the XXIXers. Rod Rae was named Man of the Match for his 2 for 8 and 35 and we awarded the QCC Man of the Match to Wayne Sander for his 34no and 2 for 28 (off 6 overs).

Discussions around the first day’s play continued in the Caloundra CC bar and then later at our tournament dinner with the QCC and CCNSW teams. The scene was now set for match 2.

The XXIX Club has created another milestone in our history at this fixture, by inviting members of the MCC Victorian Women’s Cricket Association (VWCA) namely Rachael Carrick, Harriett Bachelor and Evelyn Jones, to represent the XXIX Club.

The weather was fine and “The Albert” was in perfect condition as always. Our captain John McCormick lost the toss and Ken Piesse (captain of ACS) elected to bat.

Our eight bowler attack (showing abnormal depth) was tight and restricted the ACS run scoring. Highlights were; a very elegant and super quick stumping by Rob Templeton, a diving catch in gully by Tim Corney and wickets to all three women. The bowlers all shared the wickets with the best being Paul Barker 2/12 off three overs and Carl Nunan 2/30 off six with a special mention to Evelyn Jones for 1/4 off six overs.

The best of the ACS batsmen were Keith Jansz 40 Ret. and Jeff Scotland 25.

The ACS were 9/147 cc off 40 overs.

After lunch, the XXIX Club opening pair put on 61 runs with Paul Barker retiring at 40 and Mike Reidy making a handy 24. Then Evelyn Jones came to the wicket with Rob Templeton and we watched Evelyn bat with class to make and entertaining 40 Ret. Rob Templeton added 35 runs before retiring. The highlight of this partnership was a five, all run, when Evelyn hit the ball through covers to the long boundary.

Harriett Bachelor completed our run chase with Ron Shugg running a four to win the game.

The ACS player of the match was Keith Jansz 40 Ret. and the MCC XXIX Club player of the match was Evelyn Jones 40 Ret. and 1/4 off six overs.

My thanks to the umpires Peter White and Gary White, our scorers, Barrie Hopkins and Greg Fisher, our team manager Mike Slattery, plus all the players and supporters from both sides who made this a memorable game.

The annual dinner will be held on Wednesday September 25, 2013 and we are delighted to announce that the guest speaker is Wayne Phillips, the former South Australian and Australian batsman/wicket-keeper whose 27 Tests and 48 ODI career was launched by his century (159) on debut v Pakistan at the WACA. His keeping yielded 101 dismissals on the international arena. Phillips finished with nearly 7,000 first-class runs then coached at the Australian Cricket Academy and South Australia. He now works in the South Australian media and entertainment industry.

Game 1 - Oxford Downs CC
The first tour match was set up from the beginning to be an absolute cracker. With radiant heat beaming down for the first time in five years. The picturesque Standlake Ground was glowing, even the local sheep were getting a tan.

XXIX Club won the toss and decided to swing the willow up first. While Oxford Downs enjoyed the outfield. The highlight for the innings was the 10th wicket partnership between Peter Crock and Paul Hughes who made 27 and 41 respectively. Aside from that Oxford bowled good lines and were able to restrict the XXIX’ers to a score of 9-203 off 49.5 overs.

After one of the greatest spread for afternoon tea it was the home teams' turn to bat. Alex Laragy opened taking a wicket in the very first over which set it up for the rest of the team who all bowled well. Unfortunately for the XXIX's, Oxford Downs were able to get over the line reaching 8/205 in the 43rd over. The two 14 year old boys showing maturity and poise way beyond their years. Laragy was the pick of the bowlers with 3/43, whilst Scott Walker and Jon Huddart picked up two wickets each.

Man of the match for the XXIX’ers was Tom Sharp who made a handy 45 and for Oxford Downs it was the 14-year-old Ling who made 43 with the bat and also took 2/21 with the ball.

Thanks to Paul Barker our team captain, and all our team who put forth a great effort on the day.

David Peddie
Manager

Game 2 - Middleton Stoney CC

In our first T20 game for the tour, MCC XXIX club made their way out to Middleton Stoney on yet another fine English day for a late start (5pm) to take advantage of the mild warm English evening.

The toss saw MSCC batting first and getting off to a good start making 43 for the first wicket. All the bowlers performed well with special mentions to Scott Walker (3/19 off 4 and a run out) and Paul Hughes (3/17 off 3), restricting MSCC to 7/115 from their 20 overs. Alex Laragy's 0/11 from 4 tight overs also helped keep the scoring in check.

As a footnote, only 19.5 overs were bowled as MSCC batsman Wordsworth set off with one ball in the innings remaining and promptly tore his Achilles heel, rendering him spread motionless half way up the pitch. MCC captain of the day, magnanimously decided not to run him out and the innings concluded on that note with the agreement that MCC would only face 19.5 overs!

When it came MCC's turn to bat, 19.5 overs was not needed and whilst we lost Matty Scholten for two in the first over, great knocks from Jon Huddart (55 n/o) and Tom Sharp (52 n/o) made light work of the total, reaching the required 116 with a couple of overs to spare. Our first win of the tour with Ron Shugg at the helm was followed by a few ales and an Aussie BBQ!

Colin Murphy
Team Manager (and first tour casualty!)

Game 3 v Royal Household CC
On another fine and sunny day the XXIX Club tourists made their way by bus from Oxford to the Royal Household CC (RHCC) at Frogmore in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

In a picturesque setting with the Windsor Castle tower in the background and the Queen's standard flying, captain Steven McCooke lost the toss and RHCC choose to bat on a very dry pitch with inconsistent bounce and carry.

With the match being played in a declaration format, the onus was on RHCC to set a competitive target, yet leave enough overs to dismiss the XXIX Club. RHCC compiled 8/174 from 45 overs.

For XXIX Club the standout performance was from Tim Corney with 3/13 from two overs and a cameo performance from veteran Colin Walker with 2/20 from three overs. The highlight being a fine catch by Scott Walker from his father's bowling.

After the tea break MCC XXIX Club began steadily with Scott Walker 22, Jon Huddart 21 and Michael Reidy 24 but it was captain Steven McCooke who guided the XXIX Club home to a win with a controlled 25 no. XXIX Club 7/178 from 39.3 overs.

XXIX Club's second win on the tour.

Paul Barker
Manager

Game 4 v Tiddington CC
Day 4 for the XXIX Club took us to the picturesque surrounds of Tiddington Cricket Club (TCC). Michael Reidy brought a competitive spirit as captain, keen to build on the success at Windsor the day before.

The match was a Twenty20 fixture and the home side had no hesitation in electing to bat first on a good pitch.

Scott Walker and Paul Barker combined for the early breakthrough, and the wickets came steadily. At 6/77, the halfway mark, we looked well on track to restrict the score to around the low 100s. Some late-order hitting managed to rescue the situation for TCC, and they finished with a respectable 8/159 off their allotted overs. Scott Walker was excellent in opening the bowling and taking wickets throughout the innings, returning figures of 3/27 from four overs. Tim Corney also chimed in with a useful 2/29 from three overs.

The scene was set for what promised to be a big-hitting run chase, a mood aided by a local farmer letting his cows into the meadow at the far end of the ground. The cows promptly congregated in a corner at wide long-on - the original "cow corner"! (thanks to Steve McCooke for the material!)

With the lads out to score a bovine bullseye, Tom Sharp quickly asserted himself following the early loss of Ash Farr (for the first duck of the tour). Tom produced a scintillating display of power hitting, striking the ball cleanly and without fear from the off! His innings of 92 came from just 53 balls, and included ten fours and six sixes! As long as Tom was at the crease, the XXIXers were a chance. But with his wicket the match slipped from our grasp - wickets fell in quick succession, and even the valiant efforts of the skipper Michael Reidy (18n.o. off 9 balls) were not enough, and we fell 13 runs short, at 7/146.

The disappointment of such a close loss was soon forgotten, as our hosts turned on magnificent hospitality to match the brilliant weather we have enjoyed in the UK.

Alex Laragy
Manager

Game 5 v South Oxfordshire Amateurs CC (SOACC)
As the Queen's College ground was located on the river in Oxford, we walked to the ground past the college buildings and lawns.

The wicket was dry and flat and once again we lost the toss and SOACC elected to bat.

Our bowlers worked hard however they were not supported well by the fielders as some eight catches were dropped which allowed SOACC to amass 7/260 runs off 35 overs.
The best of our bowlers were Tim Corney 2/36, Scott Walker 2/43 & Alex Laragy 2/58.

Our openers Ash Farr & Matt Scholten put on a 53 runs partnership and then we lost a couple of cheap wickets before Jon Huddart, our captain, strode to the crease for a quick fire 51 off 33 balls to lift our run rate. Steve McCooke and Scott Walker added a 55 run partnership however we ran out of overs to finish at 6/219. The best of our batsmen were John Huddart 51, Ash Farr 33, Scott Walker 32 n.o. & Steven McCooke 26 n.o.

A cruise followed on the river where both teams socialised for many hours on a barmy evening; a fantastic time was had by all.

Colin Walker
Team Manager

Game 6 v Hambledon CC

The full touring party and entourage made their way to Hambledon, the cradle of cricket, on another beautiful English summers day. The game was originally scheduled for Sunday, but was put back to Monday as Hambledon had won their way into the finals of the English Village Cricket Competition. The day started (with no objections) at the famous Batt and Ball pub where some of the non-players took an early lunch before joining the team at the Ridge Meadow ground.

Captain Paul Hughes continued the form from previous games and lost the toss - and MCC were asked to take the field first.

Strike opening bowler Alex Laragy removed both Hambledon openers, but their batsmen were showing some good form, finding the boundaries regularly. Big Al provided the highlight of the day, and the highest fined incident of the tour, when he managed to 'under-arm' the ball clean over his shoulder and over the boundary - both he and the ball were both lost in the hedgerow for some time. Al claimed that he had cordial on his hands from the drinks break, and given we have found the English use a 50:50 dilution, there might be some truth to his defence! Steve McCooke chipped in with a timely wicket bowling the second highest run-maker for Hambledon, and Dave Perrin and Scott Walker picked up two wickets each. Apart from a superb C&B by Scotty, there was also the highlight of "caught Walker bowled Walker" with Col making his mark as twelfth man.

With all of their batsmen making a start, Hambledon amassed a handy 225 off their 40 overs, and were up and about with the early lbw wicket of Jon Huddard. New tour arrival Paddy O'Beirne, having bowled very economically, and fielded with great athleticism, also took to the bat well, compiling a very neat 58 before being stumped in what looked to be a well rehearsed Hambledon play. Tom Sharp put on another Man of the Match batting performance, despatching four sixes into the surrounding farmland, and many of his nine fours had to be expertly retrieved from the hedgerow by the groundsman. Tom was eventually out bowled for 79.

Paul Hughes stepped up for a captain's knock, but was trapped leg before on 19, and then Ash Farr, in trying to push the scoring along copped a nasty ball between the eyes off a top edge, which left him rattled, and bowled shortly thereafter for 10 shortly after the MCC XXIX closed at 205, 21 runs short of the mark.

With thanks to Tim Norton for umpiring, and Col Murphy for scoring, another memorable game was capped off by drinking the Hambledon club house dry. Fine master Ronnie Shugg raised £88 on the way home in the bus.

Peter Crock
Team Manager

Game 7 v Middlesex Country Cricket League

After travelling from Winchester to London on the Tuesday it was back to all things cricket when the XXIX Club tourists journeyed across town by tube to the beautiful Ealing Cricket Club who hosted the match. The team being lead by Matthew Scholten was in high spirits with the inclusion of Melbourne Captain Andrew Kent and young Liam Tonkin fresh from his 18th birthday. A hot sun and a lively green wicket greeted the captains in the centre for the toss of the coin, which once again saw the home team win and promptly putting the tourists in the field for 40 hot and sweaty overs.

The home side was cracking a fast 8 runs per over pace until Alex Laragy (AKA- Big Bird) and Patrick O'Beirne put in an inspired spell of controlled, fast pace bowling that that claimed the openers and most of the middle order putting the home team on the back foot and all out for 157. After the lunch break, Andrew Kent and Patrick O'Beirne opened the batting with a steady start until Patrick was caught on 13. With wickets and overs falling it was left to the experienced Steven McCooke to hit the winning runs in the last over to secure the teams third win on tour.

For MCC XXIX Club the standout performances on the day were from Patrick O'Beirne 4/32 off 8 overs and Alex Laragy 3/40 from 7 overs with Liam Tonkin leading the way with the bat, making 31 and Steven McCooke 25 no.

David Tonkin
Team Manager

Game 8 v Meopham Cricket Club

The team were back on the tour bus for the one hour drive to Kent to play against the "old foe" Meopham Cricket Club.

Since 1993 the two clubs have been playing for the Kelvin Garth Payne Memorial Trophy. After the last over victory at Ealing Cricket Club and watching the Aussies play at Lords the team captain Patrick O'Beirne was confident we could finish the tour on a winning note.

The team, further strengthened with the inclusion of pace bowler Nick Quinn, won the toss (finally) and decided to bat in this 40 over a side game. Matthew Scholten made a stylish 63, Liam Tonkin blasted a quick 52 and Paul Barker chipped in with a valuable 29, leaving Meopham to chase 208.

With Meopham's Matt Richardson making a wonderful 89 it seemed the hosts were going to take the trophy for the third straight time. In true XXIXers' never give up style (something the Australian cricket team could do with) and great bowling from Andrew Kent 3/27 and Nick Quinn 3/20 well supported by Michael Reidy with 3 catches behind the stumps the home side ran out of wickets falling seven runs short on 201, providing the XXIX team with the trophy a memorable win.

As the sunset over the Cricketers Inn, the touring team belted out the club song as they levelled the tour on 4 wins and 4 losses.